My hair loves vinegar rinses and vinegar/water refreshing spray that I make but does it ever stink especially in this hot humid weather. I got a few weird stares yesterday and I knew it was because of the vinegar smell.

Does anyone here know of a simple cheap home recipe for another kind of acid I could mix with water to replicate the shine and curl enhancement I get from the vinegar/water combo?

How strong is your vinegar rinse? Should be well diluted so the smell wears off pretty fast. Alternatives include selecting products that are appropriate acidity for hair in the first place, roughly pH 4.5. Komaza Care and As I Am brands are big on this.

Other acids could work, but many are drying and/ or are keratolytic (breaks the bonds in the keratin protein of skin and hair) so I would not be allowing them to build up on the hair by using them as a 'refresher'. IIRC citric acid is a mild keratolytic, acetic acid (in vinegar) is not.

It should be diluted to 1/4 cup of vinegar per cup of water. At least that's what I've always read.
You could put some drops of essential oils in. I used to make my vinegar with tea instead of water, but make sure the tea is the same color as your hair. For example, I used chamomile on my dark blonde hair.
I never had a problem with a vinegar smell, it always went away after my hair dried. Maybe the tea always masked the smell.

I always put a few drops of Young Living essential oils in with my vinegar rinse. They're the purest, most potent that I've found. We used lemongrass last night, and it smelled so good. My daughters' hair today smelled so fresh. Rosemary is good, too, but sometimes lavender is too mild. We use about 1-2 Tbl. apple cider vinegar in a 2 c. container and only 2-3 drops of essential oil.